Helen Thomas

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Reporter Helen Thomas Dead at 92

 Reporter 
 Helen Thomas 
 Dead at 92 
obituary

Reporter Helen Thomas Dead at 92

She covered 10 presidents during her career

(Newser) - Veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas is dead at age 92, reports CNN . The word "trailblazing" is already in heavy use, as here in Politico 's early obituary, given that Thomas achieved so many firsts for female journalists—including becoming the first woman to serve as president of...

Palestinians Honor Helen Thomas
Palestinians Honor
Helen Thomas

Palestinians Honor Helen Thomas

Israel 'appalled' at move by Mahmoud Abbas

(Newser) - When Helen Thomas said Jewish people should "get the hell out of Palestine," the outcry forced her into retirement from the White House press corps in 2010. (Not that she was all that apologetic afterward.) Now Palestinians are giving her a little thank-you. A representative of Palestinian...

Helen Thomas: I Won't Take It Back

Thomas refuses to temper comments about Israel

(Newser) - Helen Thomas doesn’t care who she offended when she said Israelis should "get the hell out of Palestine." In an interview with Joy Behar last night, Thomas stood by her remarks, and even reiterated the sentiment. "They didn't have to go anywhere" after World War II,...

Journalist Group Kills Award Named for Helen Thomas

SPJ's lifetime achievement award is going away

(Newser) - This one has to sting: The Society of Professional Journalists is killing its Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award because of the controversy over her infamous advice that Jews in Palestine should "go home," followed up by her accusation that "Zionists" own Congress and the White House. It...

Helen Thomas Award Scrapped Over 'Zionist' Remarks

Wayne State axes diversity award created in Thomas' honor

(Newser) - Helen Thomas' alma mater, faced with the veteran journalist's latest controversial remarks about Jews , has decided to scrap the award it gave out in her honor. Wayne State University is going to stop handing out the Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity in the Media Award, which had been given to...

Helen Thomas: Zionists 'Own' Congress, White House

Not to mention Hollywood and Wall Street, she says

(Newser) - Not only does Helen Thomas stand by the controversial comments about Israel that cost her a front-row White House briefing room seat —she's going even further. During a speech at a Michigan workshop on anti-Arab bias, she said, "Congress, the White House and Hollywood, Wall Street are owned...

Slate Presents '80 Over 80'
 Slate Presents 
 '80 Over 80' 

Slate Presents '80 Over 80'

Influential octogenarians, from politicians to celebrities

(Newser) - Thirty under 30? Pshaw. Slate offers up its annual 80 Over 80, a list of politicians, industry leaders, and other icons who also happen to be really old, ranked in order of power and importance. The top five:
  1. Thomas S. Monson: The Mormon president, 83, acts as divine prophet for
...

Mike Huckabee Disses Nancy Pelosi, Helen Thomas

Ex-Arkansas governor make gay marriage 'joke' about pol, journo

(Newser) - Mike Huckabee has likened gay marriage to incest , but he's not ruling it out—though he may want to leave comedy to the professionals. In researching a forthcoming New Yorker profile, Ariel Levy joked with the former Arkansas governor about his "[fictitious] affair with Nancy Pelosi." reports the...

Helen Thomas Interviewer Hit With 25K Hate Emails

Rabbi's interview unleashes anti-Semitic free-for-all

(Newser) - The rabbi whose off-the-cuff interview with Helen Thomas cost the veteran White House correspondent her career isn't getting a lot of cudos for the gotcha. Rabbi David Nesenoff, who says he was as astonished as anyone to hear Thomas blurt out something so obviously not camera-ready, has been subjected ever...

'Freedom of Speech' Means Helen Thomas, Too

In wake of 'indefensible' remarks, UK commentator sees double standard

(Newser) - The remark that ended Helen Thomas' career "was, quite simply, a disgraceful, thoughtless and indefensible statement"—but she does have a constitutional right to share her indefensible opinions. That contrarian view comes from across the Atlantic, where Guardian media blogger Roy Greenslade is weighing the "wider implications"...

Thomas Ruins Her Legacy
 Thomas Ruins Her Legacy 
OPINION

Thomas Ruins Her Legacy

Antisemitic comments put cloud over crabby glory days

(Newser) - If only Helen Thomas had retired just a couple weeks earlier, then we could remember her for her legendarily combative presidential interrogations, muses Howard Kurtz. But after her “get the hell out of Israel” rant, we’re left instead with today’s column in the Washington Post titled “...

Who Gets Helen Thomas' Front-Row Seat?
 Who Gets 
 Helen Thomas' 
 Front-Row Seat? 
burning question

Who Gets Helen Thomas' Front-Row Seat?

Opening in White House press room ignites speculation

(Newser) - Fox News and Bloomberg have already called dibs on the front-row seat in the White House briefing room held for decades by Helen Thomas, but will either one get it? The White House Correspondents Association will make the call, and Thomas, who retired in disgrace today , isn't talking. Pretty much...

Helen Thomas Retires Amid Fracas

White House correspondent done-in by comments on Israeli Jews

(Newser) - White House correspondent Helen Thomas retired today amid a brouhaha surrounding her comments that Israeli Jews should "go home," reports USA Today. The 89-year-old Hearst columnist had covered every administration since JFK's, but succumbed to intense scrutiny that included a White House admonition, being dropped by her speaking...

High School Cancels Speech by Helen Thomas

She agrees to skip commencement talk after complaints

(Newser) - Helen Thomas has agreed to back out of a commencement speech at a Washington DC high school following complaints by students and parents. The veteran White House correspondent has come under fire for an interview in which she said Jews should "get the hell out" of Israel and go...

Ari Fleischer: Fire Helen Thomas

She tells Israelis to go back to Poland, Germany

(Newser) - Helen Thomas continues to draw serious heat for a YouTube interview (see it in the gallery) in which she tells Israelis to "get the hell out of Palestine" and go back to where they came from. Former Bush press chief Ari Fleischer has joined the chorus, calling for Thomas...

Helen Thomas Only One to Ask Real Question

What motivates terrorists? Brennan dodges and patronizes

(Newser) - It's a simple question, really: What motivates terrorists to keep coming after the US? It deserves an honest answer, writes Glenn Greenwald. But when Helen Thomas pressed security chief John Brennan on it yesterday, he resorted to the "cartoon idiocy" that al-Qaeda members are simply evil murderers. She kept...

On Shared Birthday, Obama Surprises Reporter Thomas

Veteran White House reporter asks for 'a real health care reform bill'

(Newser) - President Obama celebrated his own birthday today by leading the White House press corps in singing Happy Birthday to veteran reporter Helen Thomas. Obama is 48 today; Thomas turns 89.

Helen Thomas: Nixon Didn't Try to Control Press Like This

(Newser) - Helen Thomas has covered a lot of presidents, and she’s not much of a fan of how the current one manages the press. The 89-year-old reporter tells CNS that Obama’s White House tries to stage-manage news conferences and other media events like no other. “Nixon didn’t...

Lame Duck Sings Swan Song for Press
Lame Duck Sings Swan Song for Press

Lame Duck Sings Swan Song for Press

See Bush croon 'Auld Lang Syne,' kiss Helen Thomas

(Newser) - Two years after Stephen Colbert stunned the Washington press corps by not just roasting but slamming the guest of honor at the Gridiron dinner, this year's dinner wasn't televised. But a bootleg of President Bush's swan song promptly appeared on YouTube. He performs “Auld Lang Syne” and joins hands...

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